Jerez de la Frontera: Pure Spain
Andalucia’s Sherry Capital -- Bodegas, Dancing Horses and Flamenco
This charming old Costa de la Luz city has it all, wine houses to visit, the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art, and the Gypsy heart of Spain's flamenco tradition.
Jerez de la Frontera, on the Spanish Atlantic coast south of Seville, is the home of Spain’s famous sherry wine. Most travelers tour at least on of the bodegas to learn how it’s made and to sample the many varieties. But sherry isn’t the only reason for visiting Jerez.
The Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art occupies a splendid villa, designed by the great Renaissance architect, Andrés de Vandelvira. Here the famous Andalucian thoroughbreds are trained in high-precision ballet similar to that of Vienna’s Spanish Riding School. Watch these remarkable performers, which are bred at local horse farms, at shows on Thursdays (and on Tuesdays from May through October) at noon.
Be sure to reserve ahead for bodega tours in high season; Bodegas Valdivia, at Villa del Duque Winery has one of the best (Tel. 956 328 997), not only explaining what makes these wines so extraordinary, but ending with an excellent multi-media show that introduces the city and region. A beautiful villa at the winery also offers luxurious lodgings.
The old Gypsy quarter in Jerez provides Spain with some of its leading flamenco singers, guirarists and dancers, spanning generations from the famed singer Nano de Jerez to the rising young dancer Miguel Hareba. Keeping the art alive and vibrant, instead of letting it stagnate into a “folklorico” form, Jerez’s peña flamenca is dedicated to preserving this Andalucian art form and teaching it to future generations of dancers and musicians. Centro Cultural Flamenco Don Antonio Chacón (Tel. 956 34 74 72) has frequent shows and informal programs.
Walk through the old streets to see beautiful homes and palaces, tree-shaded plazas and the tile work that adorns walls. Stop to admire the cathedral, whose styles span eras from baroque to neo-classical. At the mosque and the Alcazar you’ll glimpse the rich heritage of the centuries when the Arab califs ruled Andalucia, and a visit to the Archaeological Museum delves even farther back, into the region’s earliest settlement as a Phoenician trading port.
Nearby beaches of the Costa de la Luz are some of Spain’s finest, with long stretches of uncrowded white sand, and an average of 300 days of sunshine each year. Golfers will enjoy several courses, including the Jack Nicklaus-designed Montecastillo near Jerez, an 18-hole championship course that Nicklaus considers one of his best.
Visit Jerez de la Frontera at any time of year: winter for carnival celebrations, early spring for Semana Santa (Holy Week) parades before Easter, late April for the colorful horse show, summer for the beaches, fall for the wine harvest and flamenco festivals.
